The night flew by with question and answers of each ponies’ behalf. Eventually when it came to be too late for either mare to stay awake without the assistance of stretching, they decided to call it good.
“Well, I had a wonderful time, but I believe we should hit the hay, it’s getting late and I have work on the morning. You have your show tomorrow, no? I might drop by, if you don’t mind.” Rose stood and stretched out her legs, leaning toward the floor in a bow to stretch her back as well.
Trixie sat for a moment, not quite wanting to call it a night. She was having a wonderful time talking to Rose, and Rose was actually listening! She internally pouted for a moment before finally standing as well with a similar stretch.
“Yes, I believe you are right. I do have a show, and no I wouldn’t mind if you would attend. I shall get a few things and set up in the room if of course that’s okay with you.”
“Well, duh! That’s why you’re here isn’t it? I’m surprised you didn’t get set up earlier to be honest. What’s been keeping you?.
Trixie thought for a few moments, but was left without any good reason why. She honestly couldn’t find any reason why she didn’t set up before, other than that of her being nervous. But of course Trixie never gets nervous.
“I suppose I’ve been busy. Although, honestly I should have had plenty of time to get acquainted. I guess I was… nervous,” she shuffled her hooves and flushed slightly, she went from being a complete stranger to sharing emotions within two days of meeting the strange and fidgety mare facing her.
“Well, I’ll leave you to it then.”
And so Trixie left to her cart and Rose off to bed, both mares thinking of each other unknowingly. In Trixie’s mind fears of having to impress her flew by her simplest thoughts similar to walking, as she tripped, but she couldn’t place why. Why must she approve of Trixie, she was just trying to make rent. But still it lingered, the constant pecker of needing to put on a fantastic show for Rose and let her see the wonders of the Great and Powerful magician.
Through Rose’s thought as she lay in bed were small minded annoyances of having her very own crush. Her sisters had blabbed on and on of the “loves of their lives” and Rose had never truly understood, her mind was kept to simpler and more complex things like flowers. They had always been a listening ear or a comforting shoulder to lean on. But now, she had felt the same way of Trixie that she did flowers. The constant knowing of her being there for comfort, and that she would listen and just be pretty. For her.
Back in Trixie’s old home, she ran a loving hoof over the counter of the chipping wood. Feeling every dip and divet with nothing but the most unbridled care. She would truly miss living in the wonderful and great portable home, but she had a new home to move into. As she looked at each and every fracture and splinter she shed a small tear, but just as soon it fell she wiped it off.
“No, you can’t go like this. Sure I’ll use you to perform, but it’s just not the same. No, tonight we will practice like never before. Just me and you,” Her voice was nothing but a murmur into the soft wood floor as she sat upon her knees and preached to the inanimate object. But to her it was something more.
It was a friend, and it was dying. But she would bring it life like never before!
She straddled in and pulled the carriage to the usual field, getting a nostalgia trip of being in the wide open paddock, although it had only been a few days it still felt like it was a relic of the past. But she would bring life to it as well, for the Great and Powerful Trixie would never give up on those who cared for her.
“Even though you’re just a field, you mean so much to me.”
With a kick the carriage split open and revealed a rather large stage that spanned wide enough for amazing feats to be performed. And amazing feats were performed. In the silent night, the only sound to be heard was several magical pops and sizzles, whooshes and bangs. The most beautiful display of Trixie’s true heart blew up in the face of the night. (and a certain princess watching from a cloud with popcorn)
***
Time awoke Trixie from her slumber and everything was blindingly bright to the sleep deprived unicorn sitting in the field with her legs sprawled to the sides. Her eyes cricked open ever so slightly as she tried to force herself awake. Perhaps practicing until nearly 8:00 wasn’t such a great idea?
She twitched her neck to either side, procuring a few pops from each twist. She stretched her legs and stood, rather unwillingly, to get her stage set up where she needed. The arrangements had been made, now all that was left was for a certain magician to get her rear in gear and do what she needed to. By the looks of the sun it was about 5:00 and she wanted to be timely.
She groggily hitched up to the cart/stage/evicted home, and started to move as briskly as possible. As she slowly dragged her feet through the grass she could only hope to not fall asleep while walking.
As she moved slowly, letting the bare amount of energy she had left carry her, she hoped that she would lose the sleepy, groggy mist clouding her brain soon enough for the show to turn out how she had wanted it to. Everything would be fine, she would impress everypony and they would pay her splendorously! Or maybe that was the sleep talking…
As she collapsed onto her knees she could only think of a few things. For one “definitely the sleep talking, wait does sleep talk? I’m too tired for this,” and “Rosey, had better show up or this will be all for naught.”
She realized that dirt wasn’t too comfortable and lifted herself back up to make it where she needed to be, no pony likes one who is lazy after all. Although if she was early, she could perhaps get a nap?
She made it appear as though she wasn’t struggling to stay awake, but on the inside she was thinking that she could sleep on a nine inch pike and still sleep soundly about then. Without being well rested her show would perhaps be of lower quality, not enough to discern the audience… Right?
No matter to her, she found her way with her cart to her destination. Although the walk was painful and difficult, nothing would stop The Great and Powerful Trixie from putting on a good show! Except perhaps not being awake for it…
She shook herself awake for what had to have been the fiftieth time since she woke up, and got to work setting latches and twisting joints to turn her cart into a wondrous show cart. The cart itself stood easily on the flat ground, firmly holding it’s own weight under itself by the thin wheels carrying it. (Wheels Trixie didn’t trust for some odd reason) You would never have guessed the cart to become so beautiful from it’s original from, but there it was, sitting elegantly like it was longing for ponies to notice it’s beauteous structure.
She was as prepared as she would be, she didn’t have a stage to make her look more spectacular, so she worked with what she did have. Her cart, her self esteem, and hope of Rose showing up. She would impress her and… and prove she was a good roommate! Yes that was what Trixie would be proving.
Over time ponies started to come by, clearly her words to shop ponies had been passed around, hordes of ponies talking and laughing with each other piled by, dropping bits into the toll booth and walking by. She had just hoped that ponies wouldn’t not pay to see her, those who didn’t were just rude!
As time ticked by the number of ponies increased. And so did Trixie's nervousness, all of these ponies but not a hint of Roseluck to be seen. Not her amazing hair, her beautiful coat, her most stunning green eyes giving her encouragement to do her best. And that made her a little sad.
The show must go on, and the time was right. As the clock struck its mark of 6:00 she stepped out from the cart wearing her show clothes and a cocky grin. Although her crush wasn’t to be seen she could still show these ponies the amazing powers of Trrrixie!
“Welcome ponies to the most amazing and stunning show you will henceforth lay your eyes on! The feats performed today are of nothing but my, The Grreat and Powerful Trrrixie’s, amazing talents. Look closely, look from afar, no matter you will see that none of this is artificial. Now watch in amazement as I, the Great and bowerful Trixie will disappear and become nothing but a shadow!”
And she did. With a poof of magic, the dimensionally sound Trixie we all know and love was transformed into a spectre on the ground. Making hoof movements and fireworks appear in her shadow. The ponies roared with ooh’s and aah’s, but the one voice Trixie cared to hear was Roseluck’s, and it was sadly missing.
Her reappearance got some uprising from the crowd as well, but nearly as much as the initial stunt.
“And now, I will turn this plant-” she poofed a small rose into sight and waved her hooves to it, “-into a veracious monster, controlled of course.”
She gave a few moments of silence to create suspense, letting the idea of a flower turning into a beast settle in to the ponies of the audience’s minds. Then with a poof and a crackle, the regular and simple flower started to shift from into a much taller and wider plant.
It loomed well over Trixie and it had a mouth that dripped of something unknown to her, that wasn’t the plan… It snapped at her and clipped her hat, taking a chunk from the top, which was it’s first mistake.
“MY HAT!” With a shout Trixie created a small sharp blade and ripped the flower in two. It writhed for a moment on the ground, snapping hopelessly at her hooves before it simply died and changed back into a petite rose.
The audience screamed with joy and a few of fear, it was meant to stay PG, but perhaps ripping a monstrous flower into pieces wasn’t the best for children.
“Fear not, for the Bate and Powerful Gixie is here to protect you from the evils of the land!”
Through confused murmurs a pony shouted, “But you brought the evil here! We wouldn’t need protection if you didn’t cause it!” Oops.
“Well, imagine if it were some pony who hadn’t a clue what they were doing, ponies could have gotten hurt! Anyway, on with the show!”
A few upset murmurs were heard, but only a few ponies had left. Trixie got prepared for her next stunt, but couldn’t focus as an angel walked through the crowd to the front.
Roseluck stood, looking into her eyes without an evil thought in mind. All time stopped as the mare looked into her eyes with care. This was all sorts of new types of magic that Trixie was unable to understand. But now she knew, she would NOT mess this up.
“F-For my next trick I would like a member of the audience to join me. You there with the rose cutiemark and the green eyes, would you mind stepping up? If of course you don’t mind misplacing a few limbs.”
Through an uneasy look and a few small steps, Rose stood next to Trixie. Hoping not to lose a limb, she needed those.
“And what might your name be, fine maiden of beauty and grace?”
Rose blushed deeply but answered with a small smile, “R-Roseluck, miss Trixie.”
“Gah, please, miss Trixie was my mother. Call me Trixie. Now I have a few boxes here, I would like for you to step into the big one, and relax. Then I will place a few smaller boxes around and you may feel a small tingling, but nothing more.”
“A-are you sure this is safe? I kind of need my parts you know? Not that I don’t trust your abilities but you’re sure there is no room for error?” Rose’s face was one of absolute concern, sure Trixie knew what she was doing, she was the professional, but living without body parts would be fairly difficult.
“Absolutely! I have put many many hours into perfecting this using plants, everything will be fine…” Silently enough to be hidden from the ears of those in the crowd she whispered into Rose’s ear. “Please… I need you to trust me.”
Rose gave one last uneasy look before losing any thoughts of this going wrong, and nod her head affirmatively. “Okay then, geronimo!”
”Geronimo?” Trixie confusedly looked at Rose a moment before shaking her head and evening out her expression and turning to the several stacked boxes near the cart. “No, Ladies and Gentlecolts, prepare for my final trick and most absolutely stunning! The Seperaperator of Uncertainty!” (It was a working title)
All eyes were upon the few boxes lain around unevenly, stranded was each from the next sitting as if waiting for the attention they so longingly deserved. Even though they were just cardboard, they were once trees. When A light blue magic engulfed the box Rose sat in, everyone shifted their attention to the magician, who was definitely not struggling to keep a stern face.
With a magical poof, all was silent and everypony stared in awe as varying cream colored limbs stuck from the boxes strewn about. A head in one, a leg in another, and so on. A confused look was shrouded on Rose’s face as she stared at her own limbs looking at her from a distance.
The uproar of applause was immensely loud and nearly ear shattering, each voice clearly distinguished with shouts of enjoyment as they roared to the pleasure of the magician and her assistant. Trixie stood glamorously, although covered in sweat, she bowed deeply and waved a hoof in each direction of Rose.
Within moments, Rose was back together in one box, and it opened with a pop, and dust from the cardboard rifled through the air, shimmering in the sun as it fell to the dirt. Everything was quiet for a moment and Rose looked disdainful. It wasn’t until she smiled and did a small curtsy that the audience burst again into cheer like a long held balloon with a small crack inching larger until it burst.
In the roars of cheer and the stomps of hooves a small dust storm formed and Trixie could not be prouder. She and her assistant made all of these ponies have a great time and that was truly beautiful. She moved delicately over to Rose, trying not to choke on the dust particles sifting through the air, and wrapped a hoof around her shoulders and gave her a hearty hug.
Rose returned the hug and whispered to Trixie, although it wasn’t particularly necessary to whisper, “That was amazing, you did great! I feel kinda funny though, I’m not sure why, maybe the magic?” She felt as if her insides were trying to fit into the right places but couldn’t quite fit so they shimmied around slightly, especially so as she hugged Trixie.
They broke the embrace as the crowd settled and the dust fell to the dirt. “Thank you all for coming! And special appreciation to the beautiful and dazzling Roseluck!-” a small cheer was starting before stopped by Trixie, “- It was a pleasure having you, Goodnight Ponyville!”
With a poof of magic, Trixie had teleported them back to their residence, cart and all. “Oh boy am I exhausted! I would love to talk, but I got only a few hours of rest and I put on such a show… I really need to sleep. The bits from the show should be in my cart, if you would be a doll and get them…” WIth that Trixie slinked into the apartment and collapsed (not so elegantly) onto the bed. After removing her clothing and throwing it into the corner.
Rose lifted hoof after hoof on the shambling steps of the cart and into the main “room”. It was truly curious how she could live in such a mess of woodwork. Trixie had never specified where the bits were, so Rose was on a treasure hunt. As she moved through the small cart she looked over everything until she found what she was in search of. With delicacy she picked up the bag and made her way back to the front, not before noticing something she had missed.
The flowers she had left the other day were sitting, well cared for and loved, on the desk near the “kitchen” with a small paper photo of Rose pinned under them. Many thoughts drifted through her mind, but none of them seemed reasonable in the slightest. ”There is no way, that’s silly…”
And so she made her way into her room in the apartment, after leaving the (rather heavy) bag of bits in Trixie’s room, and lay on the bed. Giving a small smooch to the picture of Trixie, in her nightstand and drifting off to sleep.